27 November 2021 NZFTS War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION 27 NOVEMBER 2021 | Issue 6781 | $1.50

Kapiti Coast gets messy ‘Deep friendship and deep appreciation’ Called to be me

Making space for space What if I don’t want lemonade?

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WAR CRY The Salvation Army

New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Julie & Mark Campbell | GENERAL Brian Peddle | FOUNDERS Catherine

& William Booth

The Salvation Army’s message is based on the Bible. Our ministry is motivated by love for God. Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human need in his name without discrimination. War Cry exists to support and advance The Salvation Army’s message, ministry and mission.

EDITOR Vivienne Hill | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Nicole Gesmundo, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS Holly Morton, Bethany Slaughter | PROOF READING Major Colleen Marshall OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street,

PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141, Phone (04) 384 5649, Email warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz, salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department, Phone

(04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz, $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT makeready.nz | PAPER Sumo Offset

is an environmentally responsible paper produced using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) FSC® certified Mixed Source pulp from responsible sources and manufactured under the strict ISO14001 Environmental Management System.

Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association.

All Bible references from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise stated.

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Our Call to Advocacy A major part of the ministry of The Salvation Army is to advocate for people or groups who may not necessarily have a voice that is heard in society. The word ‘advocate’ is translated from the Greek word parakleton, which means ‘helper, adviser or counsellor’.

Advocacy is a part of many ministries within The Salvation Army, but could also come from individuals who have an area of interest that gives them the passion and knowledge to articulate the salient points of an argument and the drive to advocate for a marginalised group or person.

December 3 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, so War Cry checked in with Coralie Bridle (previously featured in the 16 June 2018 edition) to see how her PhD is progressing. Coralie’s PhD is around the theology of disability and The Salvation Army’s support of people with complex disabilities.

Her lived experience fuels her passion for study and advocating for people within the disability community.

Christ is the ultimate advocate for those who trust in him (1 John 2:1). He calls us to prioritise this ministry within our church settings through his wider teachings of inclusivity. This is not to say we all have to become as expert as Coralie, but we need to listen to her recommendations and be open to implementing these within our ministry areas, our leadership teams and work environments.

Our ministry call may not be to personally know it all, but to embrace and pass on God’s message of grace and peace and proclaim his truth from our souls.

Vivienne Hill Editor

Articles are copyrighted to The Salvation Army, except where indicated, and may be reprinted only with permission.

Publishing for 138 years | Issue 6781 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online)

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I don’t know what lies around the bend, but I’m going to believe that the best does.

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LM Montgomery

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2 WarCry 27 NOVEMBER 2021

Job 23:10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

Hopa 23:10 Otiia e mōhio ana ia ki te ara e anga atu ai ahau: kia oti ahau te titiro iho e ia, ānō he kōura ahau i tōku putanga mai.

Space and Why It Matters

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ver since I was a child I have been fascinated by space and all the things outside our planet. As a seven-year-old, I decided I wanted to become an astronaut, that is until I discovered that far too many people died in space for me to be comfortable choosing that career path. Even though I went on to other occupations, I still hold an incredible sense of wonder and awe towards the cosmos.

I recently went to Space Place, at Carter Observatory in the Wellington Botanical Gardens, where you lean back in big cushy seats to watch a show play out on the large circular screen overhead. The one we went to see was about dark matter, which is a hypothetical form of matter that astrophysicists think could make up about 85 percent of everything in the Universe. It isn’t easily detectable, which makes it difficult to observe, but the show explained a few different ways scientists are trying to confirm its existence, including smashing protons together at top speed in the Large Hadron Collider.

I was hooked. I don’t know if it was the beautiful graphics in the video or Tilda Swinton’s calm and engaging narration, but there was something so captivating about the idea of undetectable matter all around us, interacting with our Universe and holding star systems in place.

The idea that there are many things about the Universe that I don’t know is very comforting. I can

trust that God has a handle on things that I can’t even fathom. Even as science has developed across human history, there remains the certainty that we will never know everything. Sometimes the things we don’t know can feel really hard. Sometimes the things we don’t know can feel freeing.

Space and the knowledge of our own smallness has always spoken to me of God’s nature: creative, magnificent and deeply attentive of minute things.

It can be easy to look at the world around us and say: ‘Oh, God is like this, but he’s not like that’.

But gazing up at the stars and recognising how immense it all is reminds me that God is always bigger than my circumstances, my fears and my limited beliefs. It makes me understand what the psalmist means in Psalm 8:3–4 when he says: When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

In our wonder, God not only cares for us but reveals his plans for our futures and works alongside us in hope for his creation to be made whole. We get to be part of it; that’s what feels so awe-inspiring to me.

BY HOLLY MORTON

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He Makes Something Beautiful Out of Our Lives

Assumptions are the termites of relationships. Henry Winkler

The ‘Called to Be Me’ rally attracted 92 women from Queenstown, Gore, Winton, Alexandra and Invercargill Corps n as well as several other Invercargill (ce ris l l e Ch e Co pb mm ic churches. In these Covid-19 restrictive issioner Julie Cam ajor off t.

Sou M s r e et times, everyone appreciated being able to rp thern Division lead ill co enn I g vers enjoy the company of others face to face (left) and Invercar dith B Ju r over morning tea and lunch, and to join Majo together in a joyful celebration of being women. tre tin ) w ith r e

Sci Fi Finch (PG-13, Available on Apple TV+) Directed by Miguel Sapochnik Finch (Tom Hanks) is a robotics engineer living in a post-apocalyptic environment with his beloved dog, Good Year, and a small helper robot named Dewey. The film opens with Finch in a protective suit, searching for supplies in an abandoned town. He sees a fierce dust storm approach so he returns home and adds the finishing touches to an advanced robot, who adorably names himself Jeff. Due to worsening weather conditions, the group heads out on an adventure to find a new home. The trip enables Finch to teach Jeff how to live and survive. The group encounters difficult times on the road where they learn how to trust one another. The film shows the heart-warming bond that forms with the unlikely family, and the development of Jeff’s character, displayed by humour and light-hearted moments. The existing bond between Finch and Good Year is also portrayed in a moving way as the group travel to their destination. The film illustrates that no matter how different each individual is, a family is always built with trust and love. (Reviewed by Nicole Gesmundo)

Each one of us is God’s unique masterpiece—that was the take-home affirmation from Territorial President of Women’s Ministries Commissioner Julie Campbell at a women’s rally in Invercargill on October 18.

Shirley Erskine from Invercargill Corps gave a powerful message about how she relied on God and felt his close presence in a new phase How many sides does of her life, following the death of her husband 18 months ago; a trapezium have? while Mary Allot sang a vocal solo, A ‘tartle’ is a Scottish word that reminding us to give everything we describes the pause when have to God, be it time or talents.

QUIKQUIZ 1

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what happens?

3 What is the minimum number of players who must be on a netball court at one time?

4 Whose garden is infiltrated by Peter Rabbit in the book series by Beatrix Potter?

5 In the Bible, who had a daughter named Jemimah?

Answers on page 22

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Commissioner Julie inspired and encouraged us. She shared some of the traits and interests which make her unique and told her story of hearing God’s calling to be a Salvation Army officer as a girl and being able to fulfil that as an adult.

Home renovation programmes are a favourite of hers, so she used that analogy to remind us that God can take us, remodel us and renovate us into masterpieces.

Southern Division leader Major Christine Ivers accompanied Commissioner Julie and thanked the Southland women for their support.

BY ALLISON BECKHAM

Pear Crumble Overnight Oats 4½ cups traditional rolled oats 4½ cups milk ¼ cup honey Pear Crumble Topping: 25g butter 2 Tbsp brown sugar ½ tsp ground cinnamon 3 pears, cut into 5mm-thick slices 1 cup granola, to serve

Place oats, milk and honey in a large airtight container or jar, mixing well to combine. Seal with lid. Refrigerate overnight to soak.

To make pear crumble topping, place butter, sugar, cinnamon and ¼ cup water in a frying pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat for 2 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Add pear and cook, basting frequently, for 3 minutes or until pear is tender and begins to caramelise.

Spoon 1½ cups oat mixture into a bowl. To serve warm, microwave oat mixture, stirring halfway, on high for 1 minute 15 seconds or until warmed through. Spoon over pear crumble topping and serve sprinkled with granola.

Tip: Make the pear topping ahead of time and refrigerate for up to three days. Microwave on high for 25 seconds before using.

Source: countdown.co.nz

Weird of the Week: Koalas and humans are the only creatures with unique fingerprints.

TOPFIVE

Netflix is releasing 23 Christmas holiday films this year. Yup, 23! This week, our Top Five (ambiguously speaking) looks at five of the most popular Netflix Originals Christmas movies.

1.

A Christmas Prince (2017): A journalist takes an undercover assignment to report on a fictional country’s royal family and ends up falling for the prince … this somehow turned into a ‘Christmas’ film and kicked off this crazy genre.

2.

The Princess Switch (2018): Look, is it an objectively good film?

No. But this Christmas switching places rom-com boasts one of the highest Rotten Tomatoes scores (88%) for audience enjoyment.

WARCRY INHISTORY

In 1905, a group of Ōtaki Corps’ Māori junior members travelled to Wellington to sing in front of the thengovernor, under the watch of Captain Teretia Butt (who was a member of The Salvation Army’s Māori Party that toured New Zealand in 1901). The photograph was taken by Treasurer Harris of Wellington Corps and printed in the 30 November 1905 edition.

Source: The Heritage Centre & Archives at the Plowman Resource Centre, Booth College of Mission.

3. The Holiday Calendar (2018): This film holds the lowest ranking (so far) on Rotten Tomatoes for a Netflix Originals Christmas film with 33 percent. Please see the premise as to why: a woman receives a magical advent calendar which can predict the future for Christmas.

4. The Knight Before Christmas (2019): A medieval knight timetravels to modern-day Christmas in New York for the holiday season to fulfil his one true quest.

5. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020): This Christmas musical might need to be disqualified. It appears to be a film which actually NEEDS to be set at Christmastime, and there are no princes or princesses. Unbelievable.

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Coralie Bridle is in the process of completing her doctorate at Laidlaw College and Auckland University of Technology (AUT) around the theology of disability. This journey into theological study has been led by her relationship with her eldest son Samuel, who continues to have a profound effect on Coralie’s experience of God and faith.

BY HOLLY MORTON

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hirty years ago, Coralie Bridle’s son Sam was put on life-support at three months old, with damage sustained at the time impacting him physically and cognitively. The thesis for her PhD centres around the question: How does The Salvation Army support people with complex disabilities within congregational settings? This stemmed from her previous theology study and the ‘how’ questions that have followed her through that time. She wondered how her eldest son Samuel could engage with faith and citizenship in The Salvation Army if he was unable to sign or understand the Soldier’s Covenant.

As Coralie continued to study the theology of disability, she more widely sought to understand what fullness of life means for people with disabilities.

‘What are their primary images of post-resurrection life when they consider themselves? I have been looking at what fullness of life can mean for them, is it that they must be free of disability or has their disability contributed to their understanding of fullness of life?’ These questions still arise out of her relationship with Sam, but with a wider focus on what disability theology looks like, and where that has limited people’s ability to move from tokenism into ‘deep friendships and deep appreciation’.

Consultative research Her research has involved a series of qualitative interviews across New Zealand with people who are living with complex disabilities, and their families, as well as a few focus groups with officers and people from across a range of disciplines within The Salvation Army. The intention has been to listen and share in the stories of these individuals, as well as to make note of the disconnections and gaps in support.

With the results of her interviews and findings from her PhD, Coralie intends to put together a framework for future practice within The Salvation Army, to address where the territory can move to see people with disabilities in employed positions and on leadership teams. In intending to create this framework, Coralie expresses the importance of academic critique, especially in spaces that you have care and commitment for.

Born to officer parents, Coralie’s family has been connected to The Salvation Army for five generations, and this relationship is in part what has motivated her to study the Army’s interaction with and response to those in their corps 27 NOVEMBER 2021 WarCry 7

and wider community who have disabilities. ‘You have to have a deep affection for something that you’re willing to constructively critique … there’s been a movement, I suppose you could say, from just looking at how I do life with God, Sam and my husband in this little unit, to looking more broadly at how I take our story and constructively critique something which I hold dear, which is The Salvation Army, warts and all.

‘I say in my thesis that it has nurtured and grown me, but it also hugely frustrates me at times, and I think it’s an act of love to both tell the truth and to hear the truth. So that’s what I’m trying to do with the research, tell the truth and hopefully move the Movement forward in its capacity to hold that truth and to act on that truth.’

When it comes to supporting people with disabilities and their families, Coralie is unaware of any coordinated training for officers, or training at a corps level, to help those facilitating these spaces understand how they can support congregational members with higher needs.

The now year-old International Positional Statement on Disabilities released by IMASIC (International Morals and Social Issues Council) in October 2020, of which Coralie was part of the working party, is a positive step towards The Salvation Army implementing training schemes and practical work towards further inclusion.

Support within faith communities

In New Zealand, it is estimated that of the population, 20 percent of people live with a disability. However, in conversations from her research, Coralie has noted that the anecdotal evidence would suggest that Salvation Army congregations do not reflect this number. She wonders if this is a result of a lack of robust theology around disability, subconsciously leading to a lack of space for those with disabilities to participate meaningfully in congregational settings.

‘We should be enabling people to flourish and to participate in the kingdom of God here and now. If we just leave disabled people on the sideline and say, “oh well, they are trophies of grace and God will take care of them” by some unseen mechanism, then we are not facilitating the fullness of life as we could be.’

During her time studying and amongst the ‘how’ questions of her PhD, Coralie has considered some questions that don’t appear as clear, such as: When we pray for our communities, where do people with disabilities stand in relation to notions of healing? How much agency and consent do those in our congregations with complex disabilities have when it comes to their personal faith?

She has found some reassurance from Dr Jill Harshaw and the doctrine of ‘divine accommodation’: the belief that God is accommodating to us in our capacity to understand him and his nature. That God meets us where we are, in our differing abilities to comprehend and our personal limitations. In trying to answer these questions in relation to her son Sam, Coralie and her husband Kevin chose to have a rededication ceremony after his thirtieth birthday, as a way to express their commitment to caring for and supporting Sam with their faith in God under The Salvation Army.

Often faith communities can excel at the initial drawing in of those struggling or needing additional help, and The Salvation Army in particular has a generous history of care for those on the margins. At the same time, there is the difficulty of energy and resourcing when it comes to the ongoing and repetitive needs of those with complex disabilities, and the family members supporting them.

Coralie explains that ‘there’s a sense in which support at the moment for disabled people within The Salvation Army happens in an improvised and uncoordinated manner. People show up on our doorstep and we sort of wring our hands and say, “oh, well, how can we make them welcome?” A lot of that has come through in the research, that most congregations are very welcoming in terms of ‘on the doorstep’, but it’s what comes after that that can be hard.

‘I had some families say that with their child they have crisis after crisis or hospitalisation after hospitalisation. And they say to themselves, “How can I expect my corps family to keep on coming with the soup and muffins or keep checking in?”, but that’s the chronic nature of it. So, there’s that balance to find, between admitting that we need ongoing support, but not wanting to be at the top of everybody’s list all the time.’

New Zealand context

IN NEW ZEALAND, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OF THE POPULATION, 20 PERCENT OF PEOPLE LIVE WITH A DISABILITY. 8 WarCry 27 NOVEMBER 2021

‘SO THAT’S WHAT I’M TRYING TO DO WITH THE RESEARCH, TELL THE TRUTH AND HOPEFULLY MOVE THE MOVEMENT FORWARD IN ITS CAPACITY TO HOLD THAT TRUTH AND TO ACT ON THAT TRUTH.’ Authentic inclusion In her research and conversations across the country, Coralie has found an overwhelming desire from people with disabilities to be more involved and feel like they have ‘something to do’ for the church. ‘They all have had different levels of capacity to do things to contribute to ministry. There’s another whole theological question: “Do I have to actually be able to do anything to have value?”

‘But the bottom line is that they do want opportunities to contribute. And if we don’t provide those, then we’re not meeting our collective calling to serve God and to support others.’

‘WE SHOULD BE ENABLING PEOPLE TO FLOURISH AND TO PARTICIPATE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD HERE AND NOW.’ There is a distinction made, however, between what Coralie notes can stray towards tokenism, and a belief that what people with complex disabilities in our congregations bring is integral to the Body of Christ. In this, involvement shouldn’t look like only asking for people with disabilities to weigh in on disability issues in our corps, like wheelchair access or bathrooms. Authentic inclusion looks like ‘widening our view to a space where nothing happens without people with disabilities being consulted, included, leading and being an essential part of things … It needs to liberate the individual to secure both a literal and metaphorical space in the ongoing life of the congregation. There has to be some drawing back of my space to open space to you’.

People with disabilities want to be invited to participate in leadership and church spaces, not just because of what they

could contribute to conversations about accessibility, although those are important, but because of who they are as people and as children of God, and because their being around adds to the life of the corps.

Postures of appreciation Coralie knows that there needs to be a shift in the way people with disabilities are received in church spaces. We can be good at welcoming, but people with disabilities require deep, ongoing friendships in their faith communities. There also needs to be the recognition that, like the reality for their caregivers, connecting with and supporting people with complex disabilities often takes continuous commitments of time and presence. Coralie describes the mindset as a posture of appreciation, where we say, ‘my world is not what it should be if you are not in it’, and then endeavour to embody that as we sit alongside them beyond just the Sunday morning.

In her day-to-day life with Sam, Coralie considers the theological implications of their relationship. ‘I’ve been changing nappies for 30 years, that’s part of the reality. That’s an ongoing thing. So that speaks into what I talked about— the chronic and unrelenting nature of it. But then if you think about changing nappies theologically, what lesson can you learn? Unconditional love is what comes with it and the fact that, as God wants the best for me, so I want the best for you.

And so that means that if you are to flourish in this moment, you need a clean nappy, then that’s what I’m going to do for you. That sounds ugly, it sounds very basic, but it’s the deeply personal story that feeds into theology.’

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A Grand Relationship To grandparents, grandchildren are a joyful, important way to connect with younger generations. For grandchildren, their grandparents may have lived close by or acted as occasional caretakers for them, for things such as school pick-ups or weekend sports, or they may have been their primary carer(s) and filled the role of a parent. In these cases, the relationships are often strong and bound with love and care.

Others may envy people who have close relationships with their grandparents (or wider family) and wish for something similar. Maybe this has not been possible because of a past family dispute or estrangement. Maybe their grandparents played a more formal role as they grew up or their immediate family simply isn’t close with its distant relatives.

But if you feel like you want to strengthen—or create— a connection with your grandparent(s), here are some possible steps to increasingly become part of each other’s lives.

BE CURIOUS ABOUT FAMILY HISTORY AND THEIR MEMORIES. COMPARE WHAT THEY WERE LIKE AT YOUR CURRENT AGE.

• Invite them to events and milestones.

• Send them drawings, cards or notes.

• Connect via technology or social media (if preferred or necessary due to distance). Go beyond brief messages— have video calls, share photographs and engage them.

• Offer to help them with a task—especially something which you can do together, like gardening—as an opportunity both to serve them and catch up.

• Volunteer together. Find a cause you both care about.

• Find a hobby or activity to bond over, or a group to join together. Even if you can’t participate in the same ways, find something that connects you.

• Spend time one-on-one. If you see them often at family functions, ask to catch up for a coffee, just the two of you. Go on a trip or excursion together.

• Ask them to share stories with you. Be curious about family history and their memories. Compare what they were like at your current age. Interview them for a school or university project, if possible.

• Cook together. Ask what their favourite recipe is and if they can teach and pass it down to you.

Even if no one else in your family has a history of a close relationship with your grandparent(s), you can change that and be part of making a new tradition. Build up from thanking them

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for birthday and Christmas presents to being part of their life. Take photographs together. Get to know one another. Make them feel recognised and special to you.

THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERGENERATIONAL BONDS AT EVERY AGE When growing up, grandkids develop a sense of compassion and learn the importance of caring for others.

It stimulates elderly grandparents to keep themselves mentally sharp and engaged with their family, and lessens the risk of social isolation.

It improves the social acceptance of getting older. Children grow up well acquainted with people of an older age group, benefiting from their wisdom and disassembling the stereotypes and misconceptions about what getting older looks like.

It is another source of support for both, but especially for grandchildren—a grandparent can be another person to turn to in times of need.

Sources: www.wehavekids.com

TESTIFY! Rose Hotene emerged from the Bridge programme into a life lived for Christ. She testifies how it has been the joy of her life to find a home at the New Plymouth Salvation Army.

I grew up in a big home, but there was definitely brokenness. I had a grandmother who went to church, so for about two years before she passed away I was blessed enough to go along with her. I moved from New Plymouth to Australia when I was eighteen and lived over there for about seven years, then I returned home again with my son. I have two children—Tane, he’s eight years old, and Maia, who is five years old. I absolutely adore them.

I spent about eight years in addiction.

I sought help through the Bridge programme and went into rehab for nine weeks. The Salvation Army opened their arms to me. I could go and have someone to chat to, a friendly face or an ear to listen to me. Through the programme you choose what you want to do for recovery, and I chose to go to church. I had never really known that kind of love and sense of family. It was the best thing I have ever done. It’s the one thing that brought me recovery.

Through the rough parts of my healing and later on through all the good parts, they’ve never left my side. The women in the church were huge for me to learn how to be a mother, to love myself properly and how to be a godly woman.

The old Rose would choose all the easy ways; these women have shown me what patience, persistence and prayer does for you.

God opened my eyes, and I thank him for everything. He wiped away my tears. He protected my children. He captivated my heart. I came from such a broken background. When God threw me the lifeline, I took it not only for myself, but for my children. Last year,

I PRAY THAT EVERY OTHER PERSON WHO HAS ADDICTIONS, HURT OR PAIN WOULD KNOW THE ANSWER IS JESUS. I really accepted God into my life and started walking in my faith. Earlier this year, I became a soldier. Every day, I commit my life to God. I want to serve, to give back to the place that saved my life. I’ve been out of rehab now for two years, and I work in the foodbank. I am on the worship team, I lead in the Recovery Church and recently I’ve become part of the leadership team. I mentor youth within our New Plymouth Salvation Army.

Since we dropped back to Level 2, I’ve caught up with the girls and done oneon-one personal journeying with them.

We go to the beach, pull out our Bibles or eat meals together—it’s beautiful to walk alongside the youth and know that in times to come, they’ll be the ones walking beside my children.

the answer is Jesus. A Scripture I want to share that God told me about is from Jeremiah 29:13–14: ‘“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity…”’ He really did bring me back from captivity. I am in awe of where God has taken me and what he’s pulled me through. One of the joys of being part of The Salvation Army is watching my children being blessed by Jesus and then radiate who he is.

This is the start of my journey with The Salvation Army, and it’s got a long way to go. I don’t know what that looks like, but I know if he tells me to go, I’ll be there.

I pray that every other person who has addictions, hurt or pain would know 27 NOVEMBER 2021 WarCry 11

BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER

Do you get the uneasy sense that one of your friendships is on the rocks, or that your current relationship is about to crash land?

It’s one of the worst feelings that hits you right in the pit of your stomach. A relationship which was once so important to you is starting to deteriorate, and you don’t know whether you can reverse the rust. There can be a whole lot of warning signs—a lack of shared laughter, the increasing preference to texting when you used to talk face to face, a growing awareness that keeping up contact with them feels like a chore.

But how do you discern whether these are symptoms of a rough patch or a fizzle out?

Consider this checklist of questions: • Do you treat each other with kindness and love—or mere politeness?

• When you get good news, do you want to tell them?

• Has your self-esteem increased or plummeted since you have known them?

• Do you feel like they see you for who you are?

• Does spending time with them empty or fill you?

(Note: It is understandable to feel physically, emotionally or mentally drained if you are, for example, helping them through a tough situation or going through one yourself.)

• Do you feel like you are apologising for things you cannot control or for who you are?

• Do you feel like you are the only one concerned about the health of the relationship?

• Are your goals and/or values aligned?

• Are your reasons for staying in the relationship/ friendship only about external factors?

• Do you formulate excuses to avoid time with them?

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• Do either of you withhold kindness or contact, or inflict silent treatment?

• Do you feel satisfied by causing them hurt?

• Do you find it tough to resolve even minor disagreements? Alternately, do you feel resentful to the point where you cannot be bothered with conflict?

• Does your partner/friend give you the space to hang out with other people—with or without them? Or are they trying to be the sole person in your life?

• Do they encourage you to do things which are dangerous or go against the Word of God? • Do you struggle to trust them, or vice versa?

‘Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character”’ (1 Corinthians 15:33).

If you’re troubled by any of your answers to these questions, it is probably an indication that your relationship or friendship is at a turning point.

But is it a breaking point?

Make Up / Break Up?

Building a relationship takes a lot of work. It can be disheartening to realise that there are cracks, but just the same, you don’t want to dismantle all of your shared history if you can patch them over.

Allow yourself some time to view the bigger picture. Consider things from both of your perspectives. Is the hurt you are feeling valid?

Are there shortcomings of your own that you need to apologise for? You may realise that you’re only catastrophising and the ruffles are easy to smooth out. Maybe the relationship is simply changing as you grow—for example, if you have recently left school and your schedules no longer line up. Reflect on your memories together—is the relationship one you believe has potential for future moments just as good as those?

Good Friends Are Hard to Find

‘A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity’ (Proverbs 17:17).

A Good Friend/Partner …

• Offers unconditional support and no judgement • Never puts you down or hurts your feelings • Is loyal, kind and respectful • Doesn’t leave your side when the going gets tough • Is a shoulder you can lean or cry on • Listens • Is trustworthy • Keeps you accountable and points you towards Jesus • Speaks honestly, even when it’s hard • Is someone you can laugh around and whose company you enjoy.

If, however, you know deep down there is trouble, the best way to resolve this is to talk with them. Raise your concerns and listen to what they have to say. Be sensitive that this could go a number of ways—they might be blindsided, angry or maybe even relieved because they had similar thoughts to you. From there, you can discuss

how best to move forward. If you decide not to stay friends/ partners, make sure you part amicably; you never know whether you’ll cross paths again.

If there is an incident which escalates the conflict, don’t be reactive (like firing off an angry message or posting a not-so-subtle dig on social media—it will NEVER age well). Give each other space to let the initial hurt or anger subside and properly think through your next words before you see them again. Make sure you have a sounding board—your mum, a family member, a friend—to get a fair, second opinion; don’t trap the uncomfortable feelings inside where they can morph into ugly and untrue thoughts.

Be honest with yourself. Don’t stay in a relationship because the idea of breaking up is uncomfortable.

Only you know whether you have the motivation to talk through the issues, accept your own shortcomings and rebuild the relationship. If it is time to move on, don’t draw it out if neither of you is happy.

Pick yourself up, spend time with the people you love and don’t let the breakdown of one relationship prevent you from pursuing new ones. Use the experience to evaluate what you actually want and need from your relationships and what you can offer to others.

Five Tips for a Clean Break 1. End it straight away, in person—ideally somewhere private, but not at your own home (make sure you have control over when you choose to leave in case they get upset).

2. Be honest, clear and certain in your decision and reasoning behind it.

3. Don’t offer false hope or platitudes about staying friends if you’ve decided it is over.

4. Listen to what they have to say without trying to defend yourself or accuse them.

5. Don’t devalue them, their words or their feelings.

Source: Reach Out Australia (au.reachout.com), Andrea Bonlor PhD / Psychology Today (psychologytoday.com).

27 NOVEMBER 2021 WarCry 13

Check Out the Hamilton City Social Supermarket

BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER

There is a new home of hospitality in Hamilton—headlined by the launch of a ‘social supermarket’.

The social supermarket is the final piece in an ongoing plan to revamp Hamilton City Salvation Army’s front of house, which began almost a decade ago with the decision to merge their corps and Community Ministries into one centre.

‘When the corps and social service centre came together at London Street, a building of two halves emerged. Two separate entrances allowed for Community Ministries on one side and the corps on the other,’ explains corps officer Captain Jenny Collings.

‘This centre has been on a long journey of mission integration.

Two halves became one centre and now one centre has become one faith community with an evangelical social service ministry.

We don’t think of ourselves as separate at all. We are just the Hamilton City Salvation Army.’

The renovations saw internal walls knocked down to join the two spaces, as well as creating two additional auditoriums (which will be primarily used by Children and Youth) and reconfiguring their foodbank space into a mini supermarket.

‘It’s probably more the size of a superette, a Four Square 14 WarCry 27 NOVEMBER 2021

maybe, but really well fitted out and designed for the space,’ Jenny says.

The social supermarket will be open every day by appointment, operating on a points-based system. Depending on each individual or family’s circumstances (for example, how many people are in the household) they will be allocated a number of points to ‘spend’.

All appointments to visit the centre are booked online through hcsa.co.nz. Upon entering the centre, every person will be greeted with the offer of a barista-made coffee before a faceto-face discussion about their need. If food is a need, they will be taken through the supermarket with a personal shopper, who will scan the groceries as they choose them.

Foodbank Coordinator Raewyn Tong has set up the electronic system so that visitors can print out a docket of their completed shopping trip, which can be used to pack a food parcel in the future if they cannot come into the centre for any reason.

‘It’s hard to make coming for food-need a dignified experience … we’re just doing the best we can to make it as safe an experience

JENNY WANTS TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW SEVERAL OTHER SALVATION ARMY CENTRES AROUND THE TERRITORY HAVE ALREADY ALSO BEEN USING SIMILAR METHODS TO THE SOCIAL SUPERMARKET. as possible and as empowering an experience as possible,’ Jenny says. ‘We’re not assuming what whānau (family) need, instead we’re inviting them to come in and choose.’

It also doubles as a learning opportunity and chance for them to upskill. The Hamilton City Home League is contributing to this project by providing recipes and forming meal kits for shoppers. They have also begun creating YouTube cooking videos to demonstrate how to cook the basics. These will be promoted to shoppers and played on TVs in the café space.

Hospitality truly is the keyword for Hamilton City Salvation Army as they go forward. Community Development Manager Aimee Kipara hopes that everyone who visits the centre—whether it is for their own appointment, a visit or a trip to the social supermarket—will leave feeling better than when they walked in.

‘We don’t want finances to be a barrier for people who are coming to experience hospitality,’ Aimee says. ‘It’s a place for everyone, where everyone is treated the same—equally. We’re all people, and everyone deserves the best.’

Empowering community In recent Christmas seasons, Hamilton City has operated a ‘Christmas Loft’, where they asked for donations of gifts (such as toys or experience vouchers). Parents could then come and pick out presents for their children, gift wrap them and ‘be the ones that give Christmas to their family, rather than The Salvation Army’.

‘We had stories, like a mum who had a toddler and a baby, and she just burst into tears because it was the first time she’d ever shopped for her children,’ Jenny recalls.

They are anticipating a similar emotional response from clients going through the social supermarket. For this reason, they plan to limit the supermarket space to a maximum of three visitors at one time. The recent shift to an online system has helped them to stagger bookings so that staff and visitors are not overwhelmed during peak periods.

Jenny wants to acknowledge how several other Salvation Army centres around the territory have already also been using similar methods to the social supermarket.

‘They’ve been running a choose-your-own system for many, many years,’ Jenny says. ‘It is a story of holistic hospitality

HOSPITALITY TRULY IS THE KEYWORD FOR HAMILTON CITY SALVATION ARMY AS THEY GO FORWARD.

and Christian hospitality, which is something that everyone is going after … this has just been a really good opportunity to do it nextlevel, really.’

Raewyn has approached the process of setting up the technology and systems for the social supermarket with other corps and centres in mind, taking detailed notes which can be shared if they are interested in implementing them in their own spaces.

‘Even with the point-of-sale system, we’re using Jigsaw, and they are in … about 150 Family Stores,’ Raewyn explains.

‘The system is already up and running.’

The entire Hamilton City Salvation Army team believe the project strongly fits in with the Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective, with which The Salvation Army is partnering, along with Christchurch City Mission, Wellington City Mission, VisionWest, Auckland City Mission and New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services.

Jenny says that the initiative touches on similar values and actions that they have kept in the centre of their project— such as empowering others, using resources held within the community and education. In particular, the principle of kotahitanga (unity) is important to them as they enter this exciting next phase in their renovated centre. ‘That’s everybody working together and supporting each other and lifting each other up.’

THE SOCIAL SUPERMARKET WILL BE OPEN EVERY DAY BY APPOINTMENT, OPERATING ON A POINTS-BASED SYSTEM. ‘We’re very intentional about what we’re doing. We hope that people have the most positive experience that they can, regardless of what’s going on, and we really want to be able to connect with people and encourage others to connect as well,’ Aimee says.

After rescheduling twice due to Covid-19 interruptions, Hamilton City Salvation Army has plans to host an expo and celebration to publicly unveil their completed renovation project on a date to be determined in 2022.

MORE INFO | Learn more about Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective at zerohunger.org.nz

27 NOVEMBER 2021 WarCry 15

Territorial Leaders: One Waka Update The territorial leaders, Commissioners Mark and Julie Campbell, recently updated The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory with a video encouraging the movement to embrace and work together in the He Waka Eke Noa—One Waka, All Of Us Together Territorial Strategy, which was introduced earlier this year.

They expressed their appreciation for the determination shown across the territory as people came together to undertake mission and ministry. They were particularly thankful to Auckland and Fiji who have had extensive restrictions over a long period of time due to the pandemic, but still managed to work collaboratively and sacrificially to deliver services and mission to those in need.

The recent Church Life Survey findings were also touched on, with highlights including 91 percent of our people reporting that The Salvation Army is a great place to work, worship and serve; 71 percent of people within the Army who completed the survey had grown spiritually throughout the past year; and 60 percent reported daily transformation to be more like Jesus.

Julie and Mark are heartened by expressions of One Waka culture: working together throughout the territory, which they have witnessed as they travelled round various corps and centres.

To view the update, go to www.tinyurl.com/TSAOctNov2021

International Social Justice Commission: Have Your Say The International Social Justice Commission (ISJC) is currently conducting a global survey, titled ‘Social Justice Concerns of Salvation Army Members’. The survey, which closes on 28 December, is designed to help the ISJC gain further understanding of what The Salvation Army community holds as its central concerns regarding social justice issues.

ISJC is hoping to hear from a wide range of respondents connected to The Salvation Army: officers, corps (church) members, employees, volunteers and service users. The ISJC is interested in the issues people who are involved with the work of the Army most care about and the experiences of the people in their communities.

According to the ISJC webpage, ‘the findings of the survey will help to direct the ISJC’s areas of focus: the issues we need to talk about, develop resources for and prioritise in our work as well as support and inform social justice advocates throughout 16 WarCry 27 NOVEMBER 2021

the Salvation Army world … we support social justice activists on regional, national and local levels— this survey will also help us to inform and support them.’

MORE INFO | The survey is available in both English and Spanish on the ISJC webpage, along with additional information: salvationarmy.org/isjc/socialjusticesurvey2021 To take part in the ISJC survey, scan the QR code or go to surveymonkey.com/r/sjconcerns.

Kapiti Coast Gets Messy!

On the first weekend of November, at 4.30pm on Saturday evening, Messy Church began its journey on the Kapiti Coast.

Nearly 70 people turned up for the first event, which had been in the works since June.

The Kapiti Corps and Community Ministries team felt it was the right time to establish a monthly service format for new families to get connected with the church and befriend their neighbours.

‘We have eleven transitional houses in Kapiti that are run by the corps’ Community Ministries programme, and we also have a playgroup,’ says corps officer Lt-Colonel Sheryl Jarvis. ‘We wanted to trial an alternative congregation model … for them to be able to explore their faith in Christianity and what that might look like for them as a family.’

They had a range of creative activities centred around the theme of ‘hope’, such as making planter boxes (to represent growth) and jars of hope. Children were encouraged to write and add to these jars each week with something they are grateful for, so that these notes can be read in the winter months when they might need a hopeful boost.

Stories were shared, including videos about Bethany Hamilton (author and shark attack survivor) and the Bible story of Sarah and Abraham, with the message that regardless of what is going on, God is faithful and there is always hope.

The evening finished with breaking bread together, but between their basic kitchen facilities and Covid-19 restrictions, the logistics of serving a meal to so many people were challenging. Sheryl believes it was all part of starting a new initiative during a pandemic year.

‘We actually had to put the stake in the ground,’ she says. ‘God then has brought the resources.’

The growing population of the Kapiti area over the past few years—from being predominantly retirees to an influx of young families—also encouraged them.

‘This is a beautiful setting for those two age groups to come together,’ Corps Communication and Creativity Champion Hannah Medland says.

For example, one volunteer met a family whilst doing a craft activity. When she went to sit with her husband during the meal, she found him sitting with the very same family, having met them through a different activity. ‘This older couple formed quite a special little bond over the evening with this family,’ says Hannah.

There was also a woman who had no connection to the corps but saw a promotional poster at her local Four Square. Messy Church provided an opportunity for this woman to take her daughter, who lives with her father on Sundays, to a church setting. ‘She was so delighted, and she said afterwards she loved the message and the stories.’

The buy-in from the corps community, many of whom volunteered to help or invite friends and family, was as crucial to launching Messy Church as the support from the wider staff team—particularly Messy Church Coordinator Phoebe Wilson.

They also sought Northern Division Children’s Mission Director Sue Ellis’s guidance, whose experience of starting Messy Church in Royal Oak, Auckland, was hugely important in sharing wisdom and encouragement.

‘It is quite a scary time to start it, so we were really delighted with how it went,’ Hannah says.

27 NOVEMBER 2021 WarCry 17

The Army in Bangladesh turns 50

A virtual visit from General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle (World President of Women’s Ministries) was a highlight of 50th anniversary celebrations for The Salvation Army’s Bangladesh Command. Based in Savar (Dhaka District), the event was held from 20 to 22 October, with the main Anniversary Celebration meeting taking place on Friday the 22nd.

More than 100 officers and cadets met in person but, because of Covid-19 restrictions, larger numbers were not allowed to gather. This meant that the sharing of the meetings online was particularly important to reach as many people as possible.

The meeting was filled with joy and thanksgiving to the Lord and saviour for half a century of God-inspired ministry. The Salvation Army’s work in Bangladesh began after emergency responses to a cyclone in 1970 and a refugee crisis in 1971.

This history was explored but consideration was also given to the present situation and the future vision for the command. The cadets sang a group song and used a traditional way of sending ‘showers of blessing’ by throwing flower leaves into the congregation. A group of

officers praised God with the timbrels. There was a spirit of joy as the congregation danced and made music to celebrate the 50 years of God’s mission in Bangladesh.

Sharing via online video from London, the General and Commissioner Rosalie shared greetings and congratulations. In his Bible message, the General called on Salvationists and friends in Bangladesh to be obedient, to believe and to surrender to God. He offered words of great encouragement, reminding his listeners that God will not abandon his people and that he is too powerful to fail.

Commanding Officer Lt-Colonel Zothanmawia Khiangte shared a Bible verse for the command: ‘All these things shall be added to you’—an excerpt from Matthew 6:33. The colonel made clear to his listeners that this will only happen when God’s people seek his kingdom.

When the call to the mercy seat was made, officers and cadets moved forward to pray together and surrender their lives again to the Lord.

The anniversary celebrations were a blessed time of sharing, with some people meeting together for the first time in almost two years.

This was not the end of celebrations in Bangladesh.

Gatherings for soldiers, friends and supporters of The Salvation Army will take place in Dhaka and South Western Districts later in November and plans are being put together for an event in 2022 that will involve other churches and organisations.

BY MAJOR ARDI VAN HATTEM

18 WarCry 27 NOVEMBER 2021

Prayer is our very real and living connection to God The posture in which we come to prayer is personal to each one of us.

It will depend on what is happening for us at any one time. Our postures could be joy, despair, sorrow, anticipation, love, fear, request, thanksgiving, confession, complaint, gratefulness or desperation.

I don’t know about you, but there are occasions when I spend time in prayer and, at the end, I feel that all I have done is complain to or ask God for things.

Sometimes I realise that during a difficult time I may have just experienced, that it wasn’t until things were really tough that I even thought about prayer. In reality, it should have been first on my to-do list. Even more, there are times when the words of prayer are just too hard to find.

We can be left wondering what is the right posture for prayer? When is the right time? What is the right kind of prayer? Yet in God’s Word we find the answer. In Ephesians 6:18a, we are instructed to ‘pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests’.

The surprising thing is that God knows that there will be all sorts of things that bring us to the place of prayer. He will meet us right there in the midst of our prayer, maybe not with the answers we immediately want, but with his presence and, at times, that is what we need and that is enough.

What is your prayer posture today?

BY CAPTAIN ANNETTE BRAY

…AMAZED BY THE COMMITMENT AND RESILIENCE OF OUR PEOPLE WORKING IN VERY DIFFICULT CONDITIONS. He Waka Eke Noa—All Of Us Together.

At the beginning of this year, He Waka Eke Noa—All Of Us Together—was a Māori whakataukī (proverb) that we adopted as part of our Territorial Strategic Framework.

One meaning of this whakataukī is ‘a waka we are all in together: we rise together, fall together, work together, keep going together’.

We have proved the truth of this as The Salvation Army in New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. Together we have experienced the joys and challenges of fulfilling our mission and, despite the many Covid-19 restrictions, we have supported each other through the frustrations of lockdown. Together we have discovered different ways to care for the people we are called to serve, and innovative ways to meet together for worship and Christian life development—both online and in person—while wearing masks and being socially distanced. We keep moving forward together united in our mission and faith in Jesus, while acknowledging the differences in life experience, skills and gifts.

Mark and I have been constantly amazed by the commitment and resilience of our people working in very difficult conditions. We have enjoyed visiting corps and centres and heard many stories of how we care for people, transform lives and reform society by God’s power.

Recently we heard the story of a young man who had made some very poor decisions in his life, and he walked into a Salvation Army building desperate for help. He was provided accommodation, food and friendship. He started attending a support group at the corps and heard about the love and forgiveness of Jesus. He now has a place to belong and a faith in Jesus that has brought meaning and purpose to his life. We are all in this together.

In John 13:34–35, Jesus supplied the foundation for building a ‘he waka eke noa’ culture: the love of Jesus empowers us to love and confidently move forward together.

‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’

Commissioner Julie Campbell Territorial President of Women’s Ministries

GAZETTE Reserved appointment: Effective Tuesday 1 March 2022, Major Susan Goldsack has been appointed as Divisional Commander for Southern Division. We pray for God’s richest blessing upon Major Susan as she prepares to assume her new appointment responsibilities.

27 NOVEMBER 2021 WarCry 19

When we are tired and life requires too much effort, we sometimes reach for the substance or activity that helps numb our overwhelming emotions. Sadly alcohol, drugs, chocolate, shopping, gambling or work are all just temporary quick fixes and are no match for the impacts of being bombarded by lemons. As the title of an old Meatloaf song so eloquently puts it, ‘Life is a lemon and I want my money back!’

BY MAJOR SUE HAY

20 WarCry 27 NOVEMBER 2021

Here in Christchurch, I think we all decided we wanted our money back when we heard that Covid-19 had reentered our community for the first time in many months. Perhaps we all want a refund on the last couple of Covid-19-impacted years. Because once upon a time we used to believe in a fairytale world that appeared to provide certainties and rhythms of life that were somewhat predictable.

But ‘once upon a time’ has proven to be an unrealistic fairytale. The happy ending we still long for escapes us as we try to come to terms with a world that challenges our need for

control and stability. It’s no wonder that most of us are feeling somewhat discombobulated—that’s such a good word for it! Even the word itself has a sense of discord about it—it doesn’t flow off the tongue smoothly.

Discombobulated means to be thrown into a state of mental confusion and to be left feeling baffled, bamboozled and disconnected. Sound familiar?

Light in the darkness There was a time when Jesus and his mates also felt discombobulated. John the Baptist had just been beheaded.

John had proclaimed hope and a rescue

plan for God’s people with clarion certainty. Many had flocked to listen to his reassuring promises of a better future. I think his death would have been as shocking as the death of Dr Martin Luther King Jr in 1968. Both men had been like lights in the darkness. To have their lights extinguished was deeply disturbing. Jesus and his mates withdrew from the crowds to grieve and process their response to John’s murder. But the unrelenting hunger of the people for hope and healing meant the crowds followed them to their place of quiet retreat.

Jesus found it within himself to respond to the pressure to perform miracles.

However, by the end of day he knew he really needed time to recharge. He sent his mates off in a small waka (boat) so he could take the time out he needed.

And so it was that some of those closest to Jesus found themselves far from the whenua (land) when a storm came up.

Essentially, they were disconnected from all that had previously grounded them— the certainty of John, the comforting presence of Jesus and the solid ground beneath their feet. The instability of the boat seemed to match the instability of their inner worlds.

An anchor in the storm I sense that most of us are feeling tossed around by a storm just now too. Our Covid-19 context and the imposed constraints on our previous lifestyles, dreams and hopes are perturbing. The storm raging around us threatens our reliance on traditional responses which once grounded us. Our usual anchor points are not holding up.

What happens in the Bible story? Jesus walked on water across the lake to join his mates in the thick of the storm.

These macho men thought they were seeing a ghost. They were terrified.

They didn’t anticipate Jesus showing up in that way, at that time or in that place. Logically it didn’t make sense.

Him turning up didn’t match their expectations and they didn’t recognise him. Jesus responded to their fear with deep compassion. There’s no telling off or shaming for feeling scared. Jesus

I SENSE THAT MOST OF US ARE FEELING TOSSED AROUND

BY A STORM JUST NOW TOO. simply offered kind reassurance with the words: ‘Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid’ (Matthew 14:27).

Some of us are already acquainted with Jesus, and may have been asking him to rescue us from a particular storm. It’s possible we’ve had expectations around how he should do that. Expectations can become limitations. Perhaps the invitation of this storm is to be open to Jesus showing up in unexpected ways.

Some of us will be very unsure about the whole Jesus thing. We may not ever have viewed him as an option to support our recovery from the storms of life. Yet this current storm has proven the old solutions are not working for us. Our previous anchor points are not strong enough to weather this storm. I wonder if we could be open to unexpected solutions that come to us in unexpected ways? Would we consider letting Jesus join us in our waka? Could we come to believe that Jesus might be the solid rock we are looking for?

Walking on water Peter reacted to Jesus walking across the water by initially doubting: ‘Lord, if it’s you…’ then he blurted out, ‘tell me to come out on the water’(Matthew 14:28).

When life gives us lemons we often want to turn to dramatic distractions!

It’s hard sitting in the waka with our overwhelming fears and insecurities. We would much rather God help us conquer the storm by doing something supernatural. It didn’t work for Peter. He sank! Jesus gently queried, ‘Why did you doubt?’ (Matthew 14:31b). Traditionally we assume Jesus was asking, Why did you doubt you could walk on water? but Peter was not created to walk on water.

HE DIDN’T PREVENT THE STORM, BECAUSE STORMS ARE PART OF LIFE.

I suspect the real questions were: Why did you doubt I would come? Why did you doubt it was me?

Jesus always shows up in the midst of the storm. We may not think he would come find us, so we fail to recognise him. In my experience, he always seeks us out. And once he shows up he’s less likely to add to the drama and far more likely to sit next to us in the boat and help us ride out the storm. Isn’t that what we are really looking for when we are afraid? Someone to sit with us and reassure us we can do this hard thing?

The solid rock Jesus and his mates felt discombobulated.

Jesus committed to self-care and gave himself time to process his uncomfortable feelings. He was then in a place where he could support his mates to weather the storm. He didn’t prevent the storm, because storms are part of life. He didn’t tell his mates off for being afraid—that would’ve been a reasonable response to what was happening around them. But this Higher Power did show up in the storm, he did offer reassurance. I believe Jesus can do that for us!

For me, that’s what gives me courage.

He’s my solid rock. My strong anchor.

Having Jesus in my waka helps me navigate the storm. All I need to do is be open to Jesus showing up, in unexpected ways and in unexpected places, even when it’s hard to recognise him.

JESUS ALWAYS SHOWS UP IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM. Once Jesus was in the boat with Peter the storm did settle. They were still far from land, however, and the uncertainty of their political world remained. The difference was Jesus was now in the waka with them, helping them navigate their way through it. Will we let him do that for us? Could we risk accepting his words of reassurance, ‘Take courage.

It is I. Don’t be afraid’. Personally, that’s the only way I manage to navigate my storms and turn lemons into lemonade!

27 NOVEMBER 2021 WarCry 21

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Mark (Territorial Commander) and Julie Campbell (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 8 December: Covenant Day, Booth College of Mission 10 December: Territorial Executive Council (TEC), THQ Graduation, incl. Youth Worker LAB, Upper Hutt Corps/Online 11 December: Silver Star Ceremony, Upper Hutt Corps Ordination & Commissioning, Hutt City/Online Long Service Order Recognition Dinner, Naumi Hotel Colonel Gerry Walker (Chief Secretary) 8 December: Covenant Day, Booth College of Mission 10 December: Territorial Executive Council (TEC), THQ Graduation, incl. Youth Worker LAB, Upper Hutt Corps/Online 11 December: Silver Star Ceremony, Upper Hutt Corps Ordination & Commissioning, Hutt City/Online Long Service Order Recognition Dinner, Naumi Hotel Colonel Heather Rodwell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries and Spiritual Life Development) 8 December: Covenant Day, Booth College of Mission 10 December: Territorial Executive Council (TEC), THQ Graduation, incl. Youth Worker LAB, Upper Hutt Corps/Online 11 December: Silver Star Ceremony, Upper Hutt Corps Ordination & Commissioning, Hutt City/Online Long Service Order Recognition Dinner, Naumi Hotel

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22 WarCry 27 NOVEMBER 2021

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Quiz Answers: 1 Four, 2 When you try to remember the name of the person you’re talking to, 3 10 (each team must have at least five players on court), 4 Mr McGregor’s, 5 Job (42:14).

Sudoku

FUN FACT A fifth of the Earth’s oxygen is produced by the Amazon rainforest.

Fill each column, row and box with the numbers 1 to 4—make sure to use each number once.

Answer at bottom of page

‘It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.’

Mark 4:31–32

NZSL Alphabet

This week, it is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Did you know that along with te reo Māori and English, NZSL—aka New Zealand Sign Language—is also an official language of Aotearoa? Learn the letters of the alphabet in NZSL thanks to the infographic chart below!

Can you spell your name using NZSL?

NZSL grammar structure is different to English.

Just sign ‘my name what?’ then fingerspell your name. Try it with a friend—you can even play a game where you guess what word each of you is spelling out. my

.

name

what?

Move your fist onto your chest

Hold fist up with two fingers extended. Put two fingers on the side of forehead. Move wrist forward and twist palm out.

With lowered eyebrows, extend index finger and move from side to side.

Jesus once told a parable which compared the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed.

A mustard seed is about 2 millimetres.

It’s as tiny as a grain you might find in a piece of bread. And yet, as Jesus pointed out, it grows into this huge tree.

That tiny seed, which would be small enough to get stuck between your teeth, becomes a tree so large that it makes a home for the birds.

At this time, Jesus was explaining to his small but loyal group of followers how they would continue to grow in faith, strength and number. And it remains an encouragement to us today: the Kingdom is still growing—and we are all an important part of it. All of our actions contribute to its growth, turning it from a seed into something magnificent.

THINK ABOUT...

Have you ever seen a mustard seed of an action—whether it was a moment of faith or a random act of kindness— grow to have a huge impact?

27 NOVEMBER 2021 WarCry 23

Sudoku answer:

A LITTLE hope GOES A LONG WAY